The invention relates to a constant velocity fixed ball joint having a longitudinal axis and comprising an outer joint part with an annular member and a joint base which is produced separately from, and is connected to, the annular member; an inner joint part which is axially supported at least indirectly on the joint base of the outer joint part; first ball tracks in the outer joint part and second ball tracks in the inner joint part which first ball tracks and second ball tracks are positioned in planes extending through the longitudinal axis and comprise curved center lines; balls which run in pairs of first ball tracks and second ball tracks associated with one another; and a cage with circumferentially distributed cage windows for receiving balls and which holds said balls in a common plane.
In a wider sense, fixed joints of this type are known as Rzeppa fixed joints (RF-joints). In the sense of the present invention, they include, in particular, angular contact joints (AC joints) and undercut-free joints (UF joints). These joints comply with the general requirements of constant velocity ball joints, according to which the curved center lines of the first ball tracks and of the second ball tracks extend symmetrically relative to one another, wherein the plane of symmetry is the plane of the ball centers and, respectively, the angle-bisecting plane between a longitudinal axis of the outer joint part and a longitudinal axis of the inner joint part. One feature of joints of this type is that axial forces occurring under torque build up between the outer joint part and the inner joint part and push the inner joint part into the interior of the outer joint part. Such forces have to be accommodated by the ball cage which, in consequence, is subjected to very high loads.
From DE 42 28 482 A1 it is known to design UF joints in such a way that the inner joint part is directly or indirectly supported on the joint base of the outer joint part.
From DE 42 30 639 A1 it is known to design UF joints with a joint base which is provided in the form of a separate component and on which the inner joint part is supported either directly or indirectly.
In both cases, the joint is assembled entirely from the aperture end of the outer joint part, through which aperture the cage, the balls and the inner joint part are inserted.